Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s allegations that Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had asked him to implicate Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray and others has caused a political storm.
Deshmukh had been arrested by the ED in 2021 in an alleged money laundering case and had spent several months in jail.
On Thursday, UBT Sena leader, Sanjay Raut, backed the former Maharashtra Home Minister and said that Anil Deshmukh was sent to jail as a part of a conspiracy, and pressure was put on him to implicate Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Aaditya Thackeray.
“Anil Deshmukh was sent to jail as a part of a conspiracy. Before he was sent to jail, there was pressure put on him to implicate Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Aaditya. He was also told that if he did not do this he would be sent to jail. Two years ago, when both of us were in jail, Deshmukh told this to me. BJP can do such a thing. Many leaders in the BJP have been forced to do such a thing. There is truth in what Anil Deshmukh ji has said.”
Earlier, on Wendesday, NCP-SP leader Anil Deshmukh had accused Devendra Fadnavis of asking him to write four affidavits against Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, Ajit Pawar and Anil Parab.
He said “Three years ago Devendra Fadnavis sent a man to me and asked me to write four affidavits. I was asked to make written allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, Ajit Pawar and Anil Parab. Devendra Fadnavis sent the affidavits and asked me to sign them. I was told that if I did this, then neither ED nor CBI would come after me. ”
Further, Deshmukh added that the ED and CBI were sent after him because he decided not to make any false allegations.
“I was pressurised but I clearly said that even if I have to go to jail for life, I will not make false allegations. I did not bow down and that is why ED and CBI were sent after me. I was asked to give a false affidavit that Aaditya Thackeray raped Disha Salian and threw her from the balcony.”
Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday denied the allegations saying that he wouldn’t spare anyone making personal allegations against him.
Speaking to ANI, Devendra Fadnavis said that the FIR against Deshmukh was registered by the CBI after clear orders by the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. He further said that Deshmukh had made personal allegations against him.
“The FIR against Anil Deshmukh Was registered by CBI after clear orders by the Chief Justice of Bombay HC and at that time it was not even our government in the state. Anil Deshmukh has been making personal allegations against me for a long time now. Usually, I don’t go behind anyone but if someone comes for me, in response I don’t spare that individual,” he said.
Further, he added “I have several audio/videos provided by Anil Deshmukh’s party-men in which he is heard saying a lot about Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar saheb. When the time comes, will release those.”
